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A. H. SENSENIG. RUNNING GEAR.

No. 514,507. Patented Feb. 13, 1894 -Q/vHI4 wwao Fly. ,2, amine/wick 6 1i? (I/Hanna (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. H. sENsE'Nm. RUNNING GEAR.

No. 514,507. Patented Feb. 13, 1894.

aw Lineman A Gffla NrrnD STATES I ONE-HALF TO SAMUEL W.

HORST, OF SAME PLACE.

RUNNlNG-GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,507, dated February 13, 1894. Application filed May 3, 1893. Serial No. 4721833. (N0 model.)

To 0.1% whom it 12mg concern:

I Be it known that I, AARON H. SENSENIG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Farmersville, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Running-Gears, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of running gears in which there are separate connections between the front axle and the spring and said axle and the fifthwheel; and the objects of my improvements are to so construct the fifth-wheel that the axle may oscillate both vertically and horizontally; second, to improve the connection between the spring and axle; third, tostrengthen the axles against transverse strain thereon; and, fourth, to increase the spring-bean ing of the axles. I accomplish these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of the improved running gears; Fig. 2, a bottom plan View; F g. 3, a front end elevation, and Fig. 4 a side elevation thereof. Fig. 5 is an enlarged front elevation of the connection between the ends oi? the axles and springs, and Fig. 6 an end view of the same. Fig. '7 is a top plan view of the upper plate of the fifth-wheel and its connections, parts of which are shown in section. Fig. 8 is an enlarged front view of the connection between the fifth-wheel and the spring. Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of the front end of the reach, showing the upper bearings of the topplate of the fifth-wheel. Fig. 10 is a central transverse vertical section through the fifth-wheel, on line a2m of Fig. 1, showing the construction of the king-bolt. Fig. 11 is an enlarged side view of the fifthwheel and connections, the front axle and spring being shown in section on line 'y-y of Fig. 1.

Similar letters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the details'of the drawings, A indicates the reach, having the rear end bolted to the rear springB through a bolster R.

A designates the axles, each of which has an inwardly extending offset formed of diagonal pieces a and connecting bars a. The bodies, 13, of the springs are semi-elliptical and have the ends 13 turned back over said bodies in the shape of C springs, the extremities of which are connected with bolts 72.,

passing through jaws 71 0f clip [-I, bent around openings in their ends, as shown in Figs. 5

and 6. The axles are also connected with hinges G by clips g, the centers of which are bent around the upper hinge-bolts hwith the jaws g embracing the axles and connected by bolts g, passing through grooves in the tops of the axles, as shown in Figs. 1, 5 and 6.

The fifth-wh eel is located between the front spring and the bar a of the front axle. Its upper annular plate D is held in position horizontally by lips (2', formed on alongitudinal plate (I countersunk in the bottom of the reach and bolted thereto, and by lips d formed on transverse plates 61 secured in recesses in the bottom of the reach adjacent to plate 01, as shown in Fig. 9. The lips d take under plate D, but lips d merely bear against its sides. Below plate D, and on which it rests, there is an annular plate E, from opposite sides of which there project arms e, having conical shaped spindles e separated therefrom by annular flanges c These spindles engage correspondingly shaped openings in the bolster b, secured to the center of the front spring by bolts 3), and in the upper part of a clamp F, the lower part of which clasps barn of the axle. Screw-threaded ends 6 are formed on the spindles and engaged by nuts 6 the conical shape of said spindles permittin g them to be tightened in their bearings as they become worn by screwing back nuts 6 interposed between the annular flanges and said spindle bearings. The portion F, of the king-bolt engaging the plates of the fifthwheel is conical in shape, while the upper part f, which also tapers, is angular in crosssect-ion and engages a similarly shaped opening in plate d and the reach. Upon each end of the king-bolt there is a threaded extension f, engaged by nuts f By this construction wear on the king-bolt and containing parts can readily be taken up.

To the sides of the bottom of the reach, and

about at the center, there are bolted the ends of rearwardly extending plate-springs M, on the vibrating ends of which there are formed bearings, the lower plates m of which are removably secured thereto. The bar a of the rear axle is loosely engaged in said bearings, and longitudinal motion therein is prevented by fixed washers, m, adjustably secured on said bar a by set-screws m The body of the vehicle is supported by the reach, to which it is secured.

Having thus described myinvention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In the running-gears of a vehicle, the combination, with the axle, of a semi-elliptical spring supporting the end of the reach and having upturned C -shaped ends, double hinges located beneath the axle and having the bolts thereof extendinglongitudinally of the axle, clips embracing the lower hingebolts and connecting the C-shaped ends of the spring therewith, the bolts by which said C-shaped ends are pivoted to the clips extending transversely of the axle, and clips connecting the upper hinge-bolts and the axle, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with the reach, of a front axle having an inwardly extending offset, a spring having the ends connected with the ends of said axle, a bearing on the spring, a block fixed on the base-bar of the offset in the axle, a fifth-wheel located between said bearing and fixed block and having spindles journaled therein, and a king-bolt connecting the fifth-wheel and the reach, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the reach, of a front axle having an inwardly extending offset, a spring having a hinge connection between its ends and those of said axle, a hearing on the spring, a block fixed on the basebar of the offset in the axle, a fifth-wheel 10- cated between said bearing and fixed block and having tapering spindles journaled therein, nuts interposed between the fifth-wheel and its spindles, nuts engaging threaded ends of the spindles, and a king-bolt connecting the fifth-wheel and the reach, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, with the reach, of a front axle having an inwardly extending offset; a spring having the ends connected with the ends of said axle, a bearing on the spring, a fifth-wheel located between said bearing and the base-bar of the offset in the axle, a king-bolt connecting the fifth-wheel and the reach and having the part thereof engaging the fifth-wheel conical in shape and the part engaging the reach angular in cross-section, and a nut engaging a threaded end of the king-bolt, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In the running-gears of a vehicle, the combination, with the reach, of an axle having an inwardly extending offset, a spring having the ends connected with the ends of said axle, a connection between the center of the spring and the reach, and a spring-bearing between the base of said offset and the reach, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In the running gears of a Vehicle, the combination, with the reach, of an axle having an inwardly extending ofiset, a spring having the ends connected with the ends of said axle, a connection between the center of the spring and the reach, and flat springs having one end secured to the reach and the other engaging the base of the offset in the axle, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

A. H. SENSENIG.

Witnesses:

HENRY W. MARTIN, A. E. BURKHOLDER. 

